Web Parts are an encapsulation of functionality and information that can be dropped onto a web page as a unit. By themselves, Web Parts are “islands” of functionality and information which have a fixed amount of value. The value each Web Part provides to a user viewing the Web Parts is limited to the distinct information the Web Part presents. However, much greater value can be achieved by connecting the Web Parts together to support communication or interaction between the connected Web Parts. For example, a web page could have two Web Parts, a list of team members and a list of activities for individuals on the team. The two Web Parts could be connected in a manner which allows the team members' Web Part to filter information from the activities' Web Part, whereby only the activities of team members are retrieved from the activities' Web Part.
Prior Web Part connection systems allowed Web Parts to share information between one another by hard wiring the connection between the two Web Parts. The Web Parts could share information if the two Web Parts had intimate knowledge of one another. This typically required that the same software developer develop the code for these Web Parts. These prior systems allowed for limited flexibility in sharing information between Web Parts. Furthermore, these prior systems did not allow end users to connect Web Parts to suit individual needs.
Yet another prior Web Part connection system developed a limited number of methods to allow Web Parts to connect to one another and to pass information. This prior system passed an object to a client. The object provided a series of utility-type methods for creating and converting uniform resource locator (“URL”) code to allow Web Parts to be connected together. However, this system required the Web Parts to have intimate knowledge of one another before completion of tasks for connecting and passing information. While developers typically create Web Parts they often fail to adhere to a standard method that allows Web Parts to communicate with one another. This failure to adhere to a standard limits the ability to share information between Web Parts created by different developers.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a method to allow end users to connect Web Parts via a graphical user interface instead of relying on code written specifically for each connection. This greatly increases the flexibility of Web Parts and puts control in the hands of the end user. In addition, there is a need in the art for a method to connect Web Parts that comply with a standard so that parts not developed by the same person can be connected.